Advocacy and equity have always been at the core of my professional career and personal being. As an web and mobile app accessibility designer, I create tools and provide coaching to UX/UI designers, engineers and product teams so they can better understand and meet the needs of disabled users and catch accessibility issues early in the design process that reduces the amount of rework which leads to a better, more inclusive experience for everyone.
My journey to becoming an accessibility designer is a tad nontraditional. I spent the first 10 years of my career on the frontlines as an ER medical advocate for abuse and assault survivors covered by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), as a specialist and educator for subsidized housing participants, as a designer/artist, and eventually as a product owner for tech, all of which have given me the unique ability to remain gracious under extreme pressure and take in the bigger picture. As an adaptive learner, I’m very comfortable jumping in the deep end, identifying opportunities and acquiring the skills to fill gaps to help solve problems and build efficient, scalable systems. So when I entered the tech world, I naturally centered accessibility from defining requirements to development handoff to client education.
As of 2021, I am CPACC certified by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).
Outside of work, I’m an artist and have a fine arts studio practice based in Chicago. I cherish my time spent with my senior pets, slow mornings, and always in search of a divine cup of coffee.
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